Why mistakes make us

Most lawyers eagerly recount their success, yet few willingly discuss their failures.

Law is fundamentally an adversarial profession. We are taught early that there are winners and losers – and they are not just our clients. We learn that success at law school or in practice depends on outperforming others, mostly our colleagues. It may explain why firms are not always collegial places. We perceive mistakes as being detrimental to our advancement.

Striving for perfection may also explain why lawyers suffer from anxiety and depression at rates several times higher than the general population.

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